Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Now We're Getting Somewhere

I spent a lot of time wrestling with my thesis statement over the weekend. I tried to organize it so that it would be clear and helpful for forming my paper. I got some great feedback from my peers and enthusiasts that helped me redirect my thoughts toward the main idea that I wanted to present. My new thesis is this:

Ernest Hemingway wrote The Sun Also Rises during a time when many people felt confused about commonly held notions about society and human nature. The Great War, in all its rugged and harsh brutality, had altered the perception that humans were naturally good and noble creatures. Many people struggled to find meaning and identity during these years and became part of a Lost Generation in the process. Although Ernest Hemingway suggested otherwise, the characters from The Sun Also Rises become part of the Lost Generation as they habitually run from their painful reality that was caused by the traumatic Great War.

I added a couple of new sources that seem extremely helpful. Here's my annotated bibliography:

Annotated Bibliography

Brett Ashley. Eds. Harold Bloom and edited and with an introduction by Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1991. Print.

This analysis of Lady Brett Ashley by renowned scholar and critic Harold Bloom caught my eye because it deals with one of the more important characters of the novel. I think it will allow me to analyze more deeply the relationship between Brett and Jake, and also aid in my character analysis of Brett.

Critical Essays on Ernest Hemingway's the Sun also Rises. Eds. James Nagel and edited by James Nagel. New York: G.K. Hall, 1995. Print.

I thought that some of these essays were interesting and I hope that maybe a few could provide insight into the different themes and motifs of the novel.

This little handbook is extremely helpful in aiding me in my understanding of the time in which the book was written. It also has good character insight and different ideas about the themes and motifs.

This source examines the writing style of Hemingway’s novel. I could use it for information regarding the effect that the time period had on the writing and forging of the novel.

So what's next? I am going to spend the next few days studying my sources and I hope to finish half of my rough draft by Friday. Then, I will use the weekend to finish my rough draft and have it peer reviewed by somebody. I am really excited about getting to surround myself with the text and express my ideas. I really do have a passion for Hemingway and his generation of writers and peers so I can't wait to see what I come up with.